Next Generation Telephony Systems and Services

Operation Modes

1. Accounting only.
2. Authentication, Authorization and Accounting. By default, Arrow Billing is set to work in any mode and no configuration is needed to choose any particular mode. The mode depends on radius client, i.e. - Access Server, Gateway or GateKeeper. If the radius client sends an authentication or authorization request, Arrow Billing will respond with either "accept" or "reject" message. The prerequisites for Arrow Billing to issue the "authentication accept" message are listed in Appendix A. It is the responsibility of Access Server (gateway, gatekeeper) to allow or dismiss the call. Regardless of whether the authorization/authentication message is present or not, Arrow Billing will ALWAYS accept all accounting messages from the radius client.

Quick Start Procedure

1. Log into the Arrow Billing system using the proper URL along with the provided username and password.
2. Create entry in the table of AAA Sources:
   1. Click on the main menu item Tools and afterwards on the submenu item Data Sources. You will see the existing list of data sources.
   2. The provided entry "test" is for example only. Please modify it according to your needs. Click on the appropriate link under the column Source Name. The page Edit Data Source will open.
   3. Details of Edit Data Source:
      1. Source Name - this text box is for your reference only. It may contain numbers, letters and underscore sign (_).
      2. NAS IP Address - full IP address of NAS is typed here (see Appendix B).
      3. Radius Client IP Address - full IP address of Radius Client is typed in this text field.
      4. Shared secret - password between radius server and AAA Source. It should match on both systems.
      5. Parent Source - this is a list of AAA sources each eligible to be assigned as parent of the data source along with the default option --None--. A data source without a parent is itself a standalone source.
      6. Source type - type of AAA source, for example, Quintum, Cisco, Gnugk and so on.
      7. Enabled - this checkbox indicates whether the AAA source is enabled or not.
   4. When the editing is over, click on the button Update. The message "Success, Radius configuration Updated" and "Radius Server Reloaded" will appear.
3. Create proper rate table. You have two options to create a rate table:
   1. Create rate table manually. To accomplish this, please click on the main menu item Rates. You can either modify the existing blank sample rate "Rate1" by clicking on its name or create a new table by clicking on the submenu item Create New Rate Table. You will be prompted to type the table name and description. Please note that the field Rate Table Name cannot be left blank. You can also create the table based on another existing table and specify the change per minute rates by a percentage.
   2. to add an entry in Rate table, click on its name and then on the link Add New Rate Item (Destination). The page for New Base Rate Item will open.
   3. Available fields for new destination are as follows:
      1. Destination code - destination country code, example 1, 44 or 91
      2. Description - destination country name as it will appear in reports
      3. Base tariff/rate per minute - basic rate to be applied per minute
      4. Currency - list of currencies added in the system
      5. Increment seconds - the number of seconds in the pulse, applied after the minimum charge seconds. The users have to pay for each pulse.
      6. Grace period seconds - the number of initial seconds for which no rate is applied. Used to prevent false calls.
      7. Minimum charge seconds - all calls having duration shorter than this value will be rounded up and charged to this value.
   4. Click on the button Add Item.
   5. Repeat steps 2 to 4 for other destinations.
4. Create VoIP account. Click on the negivation menu item Accounts and then on the submenu item Add VoIP Account. The page for adding a VoiP Account will appear.
   1. Account/Number/Alias - this field is the primary means of authentication of caller accounts. It must be filled with a valid phone/card number or H.323 alias or ANI. Only digits are allowed for phone/card numbers and ANI while for H.323 alias, digits, letters and special characters (_, @) are allowed.
   2. Password - account password. For accounts registering to gnugk gatekeeper, this should be the same as Account/Number/Alias.
   3. IP Address - required if the account is identified by its IP address.
   4. E.164 Number - this number is used to prevent endpoint registration with voluntary phone numbers when using H.323 alias authentication.
   5. Authentication type - main authentication method of accounts, such as IP Address, ANI/Number, H.323ID, H.323ID + E.164 Number, or Telephony Trunk ID.
   6. Account Group - a means of easier reporting and mass modification of accounts from Account Groups in the main menu. It does not have any impact on authentication or billing process.
   7. Enable Web Login - this checkbox field controls user access to the system via end-user login screen.
   8. Web Login Username - this text field lets you provide the username to access the end-user screen.
   9. Web Login Password - in this field you can type the password to access the end-user screen.
   10. Language - this field lets you choose the language to be used for accessing the account.
   11. Company - this drop-down menu allows assignment of the account to a particular Company. This is necessary when a Standalone Account is being attached to some existing company.
   12. Agent - this drop-down menu defines the ownership of accounts. It allows assignment of accounts to a particular agent.
   13. Reseller - reseller also defines the ownership of accounts. It allows assignment of accounts to a particular reseller.
   14. Currency - default currency of account.
   15. Starting Credit - this text box represents the initial amount of fund granted to the account at the moment of the creation of accounts.
   16. Credit Limit - credit Limit is the maximum negative balance of account that is allowed. This value is always positive.
   17. Account Status - this field can enable the account to receive services or disable the account to reject the services. It can also make the account available for immediate use or make it pending to indicate temporarily unavailability.
   18. Rate - the Rate Table used by this account.
   19. Prepaid - prepaid/postpaid mode. Checking this option will reset the Credit Limit of the account to zero. Account will need positive balance to place calls.
   20. Account is Master - sets this account as Master. If account is master for other accounts, they are authenticated against its credentials and calls are charged to Master Account.
   21. Master Account - this field works with the previous one. If the account is not master, you can select a Master Account for it from this drop-down menu.
   22. Expires - expiry Date of the account.
   23. Recurring Service - recurring service to be applied to this account.
5. Make test call. After the call is made, go to Traffic Log in the main menu item Calls to see if the entry was created.
   1. If the entry does not exist, the system has not received Accounting Request Message from radius client properly. You have to check if AAA Source is configured properly.
   2. If the entry does exist, click on Call Detail in the nevigation menu item Billing to see if it was properly rated. Lack of CDR entry indicates that steps 3 or 4 was not properly followed.

Appendix A. Summary of requirements for successful authorization and authentication message

1. Account/Alias matches endpoint H323ID
2. Password matches endpoint password (or h323id for gnugk gatekeeper)
3. Account Status is "Enabled".
4. Account Balance is higher than Credit limit (note that credit limit always is positive number);
5. Called Destination exists in Rate table.

Appendix B. AAA Sources

1. Cisco - use this for Cisco PSTN-to-IP gateways. The system will account "VoIP" leg of call.
2. Quintum - same as above, for Quintum gateways;
3. Mera MVTS - for Mera MVTS gatekeepers/proxies (ex. xPEERience). Set acct_leg_type=4 in MVTS configuration file.
4. Gnugk - for OpenH323gatekeeper. All CallShop package user should use this setting.
5. Other NAS type, "VoIP" leg.
6. Other softswitch (originate leg), "VoIP" leg, Call origin - "originate".
7. Other softswitch (answer leg), "VoIP" leg, Call origin - "answer".
8. Other proxy, "VoIP" leg, Call origin - "proxy".